Convertible chair



July 18, 1933. x.. GzLcH CONVERTIBLE CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.18, 1932 Nw @N NN mw NN wm SMN lllrll July 18, 1933. L. GlLcHCONVERTIBLE CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1932 NN MN. QM.

Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES LUDWIG- GILCH, OFCIV-IIYCAGOQILLINOIS CONVERTIBLE CHAIR Apphcatonrled January 18, 1932.Serial No. 587,269.

This invention relates to convertible chairs,

with the extended seat so as to form a bed bottom for a cot or bed.

Another object is .to provide` a convertible chair in which the back maybe tilted into various inclined comfortable and restful positions.

Another object is to provide a convertible chair in which one or both ofthe arms may be swung down, out of its upright position when the chairis converted into a bed or cot, whereby to obtain more room and greatercomfort.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, this inventionconsists in the several novel features -of construction, arrangement andcombination of parts hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawings accompanying thisspecification in which Figure 1 is a plan of a chair with theupholstering removed and embodying asimple form of the presentinvention, showing the back in a tilted position with the seat movedforward somewhat;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the chair with the parts occupying theposition seen in Fig. 1, and part of the upholstering broken away;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the front portion of the chair frame;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation thereof; y'

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in verticallongitudinal section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. l, showing the seatfully extended and the back fully lowered, the upholstering beingillustrated by broken lines; Y

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 77 of Fig.1, and showing the back in its upright position with the seat drawnback;

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7 'withthe upper portieri of the chair broken away; l

Fig. 9 is a detail side elevation of a fragment of one or' the sideframes of the chair illustrating the locking means for the hinged arm ofthe chair, the view being taken in the direction of the arrow 9 in Fig.3; and l Fig. 10 is a detail' vertical cross Sectio taken on the line10-10 of 9. l

Referring to said drawings, the reference characters 11,111 designatethe side framesand 12 and lthehorizontal crossl bars which 6 connect theside frames. These parts comprise the chair frame. The side frames havearms 14, one or both of which is hinged to the lower portion of the sideframe by hinges 15, whereby the arm may be swung down alongside of thelower'portionof the side frame, as seen in Fig. 8. A latch bolt 16 isprovided for locking the arm in upright position. The latch bolt isslidably mountedl in a bracket 17 (see Fig. 9)v screwed or otherwisefastened to the inner face of the side iframe, and said latch bolt isadapted to engage in an eye member 18 fastenedv to the inner face of thearm 14. Endwise movementor the nach boit 16 is limited by a rug 75 19thereon which moves in the cutout part of the bracket 17 as isclearlylseen'in Fig. 9.

Slidably mounted on rails 20' secured to the inner face of the sideframes lis the seat, 21, the latter being provided with rollers 22 '80which run on the' rails 20. The rollers-are mounted in housings23lscrewed or otherwise fastened to the frame of the seat and may beprovided `with anti-friction bearings, as is well understood. `The seatis composed of a lower seat frame 24 and an upper seat frame 25 hingedthereto at its forward end by hinges 26, the lupper Vseat frame 25 beingcapable of being extended into alignment with the lower seat frame, asis illustrated in Fig. 6, toprovide an extension for the lower seatframe when the chair is'converted into a bed or cot. The lower seatframe is composed of longitudinal side frame mem-A bers 27 connected bycross :trarne members 28 and 29 to provide a substantialseat frame andthe upper seat frame 25 is also composed of longitudinal side'framemembers 30 connected by cross frame members 81.

The side frames are formed with longitul dinally extending slideways,here shown in the form of slots 11a, formed in the side frames, and thelower seat frame 24 is provided with lateral projections 24a that enterthe slots. This arrangement prevents the seat from tilting upward at itsrear end whenever the back is manipulated in raising or lowering thesame, or in case the weight of a person is applied to the forward end ofthe seat whenever the latter is adjusted to its foremost position.

Spring constructions are carried by both the upper and lower seat framesand they may be upholstered in the usual manner to provide cushionseats. The outlines of the upholsterings are indicated by the characters24b and 25". lVhen the upper seat portionA occupies itsnorma-l position,its cushion construction reacts upon the cushion construction of thelower seat portion, thereby providing avery comfortable seat, and whenthe upper seat' portion isswung into its extended position, the twospring constructions are substantially in alignment so as to provide aspring construction for the bed bot- OIII.-

The back 82 is composed of a frame having longitudinal side framemembers 33 connected` by cross frame members 34 and 85. The lower end ofthe back frame is hinged to the lower seat frame by hinges 36, wherebythe back may bei tilted from an upright position, as seen inrFfig. 7, toan approximately horizontalA position, as seen in- Fig. 6, where itrests upon'thecross bar 13 of the chair frame. The backr frame isprovided with the usual spring construction. andupholstering, as iscustomary, the outline of which is indicated by the reference character32".

Connectible and disconnectible connectionsv are provided between theside frames andthe back frame, whereby the back frame is held in variousinclinedpositions and is alsolper-mitted to bevdisconnected from theside frames to allow it to be lowered into an approximately horizontalposition for' use asapart of the bedlbottom. As shown, theinterconnectionsbetweenthe side frames and back frame comprise slottedplates 37 fas tened tothe inner faces ofthe side frames by screws or thelike, the portionsBS of-the slots extending in approximately uprightdirection and. opening outward rearwardly at their lower ends throughcurved portions 39. At the curved portions of the slots, the plates areformedwith rests or shoulders 40 lwhich serve aspositivestops-to-holdthe back-in a definite inclined position.

From the sideedges ofthevback frame project/headed pins or lugs 41 whichengage in the slots of the slotted plates 37. and cooperate with saidslots/to hold the back in'any desired position of inclined adjustment.Grooves 42 are provided in the side frames behind the slots of theslot-ted plates 37, into which grooves project the heads of the pins orlugs 41. Said pins are secured to and extend from plates 43 screwed orotherwise fastened to the side edges of the back frame.

Then in use as a chair, the upper seat portion rests upon the lower seatportion so as to provide a cushioned seat Vand the back is held inupright or tilted position by reason of the engagement of the headedpins or lugs 41 in the slots 38 of the slotted plates 37. A personsitting upon the seat may easily adjust the back to any desired angle ofinclination by merely moving his body or pressing backward upon theupper port-ion of the back and the latter may be tilted backward untilthe pins 41 encounter the rests or shoulders 40 at the lower ends of theslots 38. It will be understood that as the backvis tilted, the seatmoves forward. If a person desires to usethe upper seat portion as afoot rest, he merely swings the upper seat portion into its extendedposition.

To convert the chair into a bed or cot, the back is detached from theside frames by lowering the back until the pins can be moved out of theopen lower ends of the slots and then lowering the back to the Cross bar13. In this position the cushioned parts of the seat and back provide-alcushion bed bottom. In case more room is desired between the two arms ofthe chair, the latch bolt 16 is drawn out, thereby unlocking the hingedchair arm and permitting it to be swung down, thusexposing one side ofthe chair.

To restore the chair to normal position, the arm is swung back intoupright position and locked in place, the back raised, the pins 41 movedinto the open lower ends of the slots 38 and the back is then swungupward until the pins reach the upper ends of the slots. As the back isbeing swung upward, the seat is drawn back, and when the upper seatportion has been lowered upon the lower seat portion, the chair is inpositionto be usedfas a chair.

It is to-be understood that the side frames may be upholstered in theusual manner, so as to correspond with the seat and back, or the sideframes, seats and back may be finished with cane or other suitablematerial. If desired, a separate loose cushion 44 may be provided, whichmay be used as a pillow when the chair is converted into a bed, or whenin use as a chair with the upper seat portion extended as a foot rest,the cushion 44 may be placed on the lower seatportion to provide araised seat above the foot rest.

I Claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A convertible chair comprising in combination, a chair frame hav-ingside frames, horizontal cross connections therebetween, and a pair ofrails, a seat movably mounted on said rails and comprising upper andlower sections hinged together at the front, whereby justed intoinclined positions with the pins traveling in the straight portions ofthe slots, and whereby the stop shoulders positively support the back inits lowermost inclined position, and whereby the pins may be moved outof said slots at the lower ends thereof, permitting the back to liesubstantially horizontally with the upper hinged portion of the seatextended horizontally.

LUDWIG GILCH.

